tFUnK

Alright so I got my 15" slipstreams in silver, wrapped in kumho ecsta 712 195/55 tires. Well, taking off my stock wheels was a pain because the lug nuts wont come off. I had to kick the hex-nut jack-handle thing hecka hard a few times before each lug loosened. Then I just replaced the stocks with my new rotas =]. BUT, I guess the offset is different, or the oem lug nuts were weird, and so I had a really hard time putting the stock lug bolts on my new rims. The stock lug nuts have this black washer thing in the middle... but anyway, I called the shop I got the wheels from, they say I can still use stock lug nuts and not buy tuner style. Looks kind of awkward to me because the lugs stick out a lot. I'll take some pics this weekend to show you guys my rims, but yeah, I feel like the nuts aren't in tight enough. The wheels sit quite a bit further outward than the stock ones as well, but that's because the wheel itself is 10mm wider, plus the offset difference. I guess my questions are as follows:

Is it normal for the lug nuts to be on there so tight in the first place?

How tight should I screw the nuts back? I had to kick the wrench thing to get them off, but I didn't kick the thing to tighten it back on, I just pulled with all my force.

When I drove, I feel the car doesn't go as "straight" as it did before. I am wondering if this is due to the different tire, shorter sidewall, etc, or is it because I installed my rims wrong? You guys know what I mean? Before the ride feels smooth and little bumps on the road doesnt make the steering wheel jerk, but now, the steering wheel jerks a lot. Normal?

Should I get tuner lugs instead or something? Or are the oem ones suppose to stick out (with that little black washer thing around the bolt)? Should I take off the little black washers? Will it bolt deeper into my wheel if I took it off?

I guess that's all I can think of right now, help me out guys, I'm gonna take a closer look at it before the weekend ends. Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks!!!

TurboBumblBee

are the tired you have on there now directional tires??? if they are you need them on the right place..

as for the lug nuts, it just sounds like they were put on and torqued too much and that is why it was difficult to get them off.. just make sure they are on tight..

tFUnK

thanks for the response... and yes the tires are directional... and I think I put them on the right direction... rotation -> faces clockwise passenger side, rotation -> counterclock driver side... so what are the little black washers on the lug nuts? It seems like you could just take them off... should I??


[Modified by tFUnK, 2:11 AM 2/18/2002]

HondaCutie90

the black "washers" were usually to hold the hubcap on tight.

tFUnK

thought so... i think that's also why the nuts were so hard to take out. I'll take a look at it tomorrow morning thanks

Civic242

The large black washer should be the hubcentric ring to fill the space around the axel hub to keep your wheel centered perfectly when you mount it. Those should just fit into the rim and not come off.

Get some tuner lugnuts, even if your OEM ones fit and wheel locks too!!!!! These will seat better, stay on longer, look better then standard lugs and you should only tighten them to approx 80 ft-lbs in the standard cross pattern. Finger tight while on the jack and then all the way down while on the ground. You should also get a torque wrench now that you have a set of rims. It's well worth the $40-$80 for one.

KekeK_5G

The black washers on the LUGNUTS are to hold on the OEM hubcaps, these shouldn't affect you with aftermarket wheels, unless the holes for the lugnuts are of smaller diameter
Any rings that come with the wheel will go inside the rim where it mates with the car's hub, these are to center the wheel on the hub, don't forget them.
Go to any Sears and buy yourself a bar type torque wrench, very easy to recalibrate and about $25 last I checked. 80 ft-lbs is the factory torque spec, try and stick to it or you could have problems with warping brake rotors.

deepnite

dont use ur stock lugs..u need a different fit

agent87

I agree with deepnite, the OEM lugnuts have a rounded seat. They will NOT seat properly on the slipstreams. You need to get angled, conical seat type lugnuts for most aftermarket rims.

Also, the black washers on the stock lugnuts are, as everyone is saying, for keeping the OEM wheel covers on. If you want to get rid of the lugnuts or the washers, let me know. I'm missing some and would be interested.

The reason why the lugnuts were so hard to take off is that the shop who put them on in the first place might have tightened them too much. Even at the recommended 80 ft-lbs, it's easier to remove the lugnuts by slipping a bar over the socket or tool you are using for more leverage. It's a bit better than kicking the tools. I also second the only tighten to 80 ft-lbs thing

As for why you might have the problem with the car not going "straight", the car might be tracking the crown of the road more. This is most likely because the tire contact patch is wider...and I'm assuming you're car is lowered. Whatever alignment issues you may have had might now be amplified. Good luck!

tFUnK

so tuner style lugs is the way to go?

can i use the kyougen(sp?) lugs?

also I think I'm just feeling more bumps on the road now, and my car is not lowered, it's stock height but i got stock itr springs sittin at home waitin to be installed sometime

agent87

When I think of tuner style lugs, I tend to think of the lug nuts that have the socket adapter to fit inside the nut. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but just to clarify, what you need is a flat tapered seat lugnut. There are many out there that will work, including the Kyoukugens (sp?) and any "tuner style" lugnuts.

B18C-EJ1

Yes, you can use the KyoKugen lugs. You should also go get an alignment for those new tires you got. My guess is that it's off by a bit.

Mr. Thunderlips

id stay away from those lug nuts...ive had several sets and they strip very easily...and no its not from overtightening...ive heard other HT members bitch about them too, so im not the only one...spend a couple more bucks and get some nicer ones. just looking out for a fellow HT member.

JaeOne3345

nah man if u look at the pattern of stock lug nuts its like a round base...the rota slip streams take an acorn/triangle base. just go get some decent acorntriangle base lug nuts. this is how it is for me i dunno about anyone else. ..peace

tFUnK

thanks, where can I find some acorn style ones and about how much do they cost?

Honda4CX-T

Get some from GORILLA lug set, it will set you back around $35.00 with locks included.

This are fitted with the "ACORN" design as everyone has mentioned.

Here: http://www.gorilla-auto.com

tFUnK

I went to pepboys and got a set of tapered-seat/conical seat lug nuts. Are these the "acorn" type you guys were talking about? Well, turns out I didn't need to use them because the oem lugs were conical seated also. So I'm guessing that the conical seated is different from acorn triangle seated? The only ones I saw was flat and conical (round?) I took off the black washers from each lug but, and I just reinstalled the lug nuts. I probably need an alignment, huh? Maybe they can put on my springs while they are at it... sigh... none of my friends got alignments when they got rims... and they never got alignments when they took off their wheels to "powdercoat" or when they do the calipers either. their rides were fine after putting the wheels back on. my ride should be fine right?


[Modified by tFUnK, 2:16 AM 2/18/2002]

Civic242

Just a word to the wise keep 4 old style lugnut with your spare tire in your trunk. If you ever have to use the spare, tuner style lugs won't keep the spare tire on your car. I've tried it and it didn't work